Vol. 2 No. 2 1995 GAEDIKE: German Entomological Institute 51

HOLARCTIC LEPIDOPTERA, 2(2): 51-56

DEUTSCHES ENTOMOLOGISCHES INSTITUT:ORIGIN, HISTORY AND PRESENT

REINHARD GAEDIKE

Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Schicklerstrasse 5, D-16225 Eberswalde, Germany

ABSTRACT.- The history and orgins of the Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (German Entomological Inst.) are presented, together with an overviewof its current size and status. Notes are given on the former researchers and directors of the Institute, and on development of the library andcollections.

KEY WORDS: biography, entomologists, history, libraries, museums.

The Deutsches Entomologisches Institut (DEI), or GermanEntomological Institute, was founded in 1886 by G. Kraatz, inBerlin, Germany, and originally called the German EntomologicalNational Museum (Deutsches Entomologisches National Muse-um). Kraatz was a well-known coleopterist and an activecollector of entomological literature. His aim was to establish aninstitution, which should be open to all entomologists, professio-nals as well as amateurs. Here they would get information aboutsystematic and taxonomic problems, and it should become aninformation center for all entomological literature problems. Thefoundations of the DEI were Kraatz's great insect collection, hislarge entomological library with many papers from the 18th and19th centuries, and monetary assets of 60,000 Reichsmarks, aconsiderable sum in those days (perhaps US$450,000 today).

In 1870, G. Kraatz made remarks about the idea for such aninstitute for the first time. He called upon entomologists todonate their collections and libraries for such a museum. The co-leopterist and lepidopterist Lucas von Heyden was one of the firstto donate his collection. During the early years, the collectionsand the library were provisionally housed in several apartmentsin Berlin. Later on, Kraatz bought a building in the ThomasiusStrasse so the museum would have sufficent space.

The acquaintance of Kraatz with Walter Horn, and Horn'sworking in the museum, was decisive for the further fate of theinstitut. Horn was a physician and a coleopterist, but first of allhe had very concrete and progressive concepts about the aims andproblems of an entomological museum. He suggested that Kraatzbuy land in Berlin-Dahlem, on which a new building for the

Fig. 1-3. Foundation of the DEI: 1) G. Kraatz (1831-1909), the founder of the DEI. 2) W. Horn (1870-1939), the second director. 3) The first building of the institutein Berlin, Thomasius Strasse (1890s-1909).

52 GAEDIKE: German Entomological Institute HOLARCTIC LEPIDOPTERA

Fig. 4-5. Early buildings of the DEI: 4) The building in Berlin-Dahlem (1910-1943). 5) The "exile" of the institute to Blucherhof, Mecklenburg (1943-1950).

that only an intensive international exchange of literature couldbe the base for the expansion of the library. Such an exchangeis possible only with one's own publications. This is why heestablished several journals after 1911: Entomologische Mitteil-ungen, Arbeiten fiber morphologische und taxonomische Entomo-logie. Arbeiten iiberphysiologische undangewandte Entomologie,and Supplementa Entomologica. In exchange, the library obtainedother journals and many books as review copies.

But the library is not only a place of literature collecting. Hornalso emphasized the utilization of the literature. He began towork on a compendium of the world literature of entomologyand, together with S. Schenkling, he published in 1928/29 theIndex Litteraturae Entomologicae, Serie I, which covered allentomological literature up to 1863. In a card file he collectedthe literature since 1864, which was the basis for the Serie II,published in 1965/70.

Horn also compiled all data on the location of entomologicalcollections and the changes in their location, because it becomesmore and more difficult to locate type material, when the ownersof the collections are often changing. As the result of thisimmense work, he published in 1935/37, together with I. Kahle,the work Uber den Verbleib entomologischer Sammlungen...,which entomologists around the world know under the name"Horn & Kahle". In 1962, Sachtleben published additions andcorrections to this work, and in 1990 a compilation of all theseparts were published under the title Collectiones Entomologicae,together with many additions and corrections for the period up to1960. As volume 6 of the journal Nova Supplementa Entomolog-ica, an addition for the period up to 1994 was issued in early1995.

As a card file, Horn compiled biographical dates of entomolo-gists, and he also collected photographs of entomologists. Nowthe collection contains photographs of more than 3,000 personsand the card file contains dates on about 10,000 entomologistsworldwide.

Horn realized also some very important ideas in the field ofentomological collections and their utilization. Some of themshould be noted here, because they are useful even now and inour institute they are in practical use: 1) there is only one main

Fig. 6. The building of the institute in Berlin-Friedrichshagen (1950-1964).

museum could be built. Two years before the new building wasfinished (1911), Kraatz died and W. Horn became director. In1920, Horn changed the name "Museum" into "German Entomo-logical Institute". This change indicated already the somewhatmodified aim of the institute, one of the most important tasksbeing the further development of the library. Horn recognised

Vol. 2 No. 2 1995 GAEDIKE: German Entomological Institute 53

Fig. 7-11. The DEI in Eberswalde: 7)Current building. 8) View of Eberswalde(1990). 9) One of the collection rooms.10) Cabinet with insect drawers (note thecolor coded drawer labels, representingdifferent faunal regions). 11) View of theDEI and the Schicklerstrasse.

collection, and there is only one place at which I can find thematerial of the species, genus or family; 2) the whole collectionof all orders is stored in uniform cabinets and in uniform drawers;3) the registration number of the drawer is connected with thefamily and not with the cabinet (this fact is very important forexpansion of the collection); 4) for each order, a card file isestablished for the genera, and for many orders additionally alsofor the species; and 5) all types are noted in a card file (since1986 we have published several parts as a "type catalogue").

During the period following World War I, with the worlddepression, the institute had serious financial difficulties. This iswhy Horn then intiated a cooperative arrangement with theBiologische Reichsanstalt of the city of Berlin. The contributionof the institute for that cooperation was among others, thecompilation of a large collection of insect biologies, i.e., larvae,pupae, mines, etc., for study and education.

In 1939, W. Horn died and H. Sachtleben became director.During World War II, as the danger of bombardments increased,the institute was relocated to Mecklenburg outside of Berlin, anarea later to be in East Germany. In 1950, it was returned to

Berlin, but not to Berlin-Dahlem because that area now belongedto the American sector of Berlin. The new domicile was abuilding in Berlin-Friedrichshagen, located in the Russian sector.In 1951, the institute became a part of the Academy of Agri-cultural Sciences. Sachtleben continued the traditions of theinstitute. He reestablished the interrupted international exchangeof literature and founded a new journal Beitrage zur Entomologie.He also founded a new department for bibliography, whichpublished the Serie II of the Index Litteraturae Entomologicae.Also, W. Hennig worked in the institute and in 1951 his bookGrundziige der Phylogenie came out.

In 1964, the institute moved to Eberswalde, near Berlin, to abuilding built for the Forest Academy in 1874-76. There areabout 25,000 square feet for collections, library, and offices. In1970, the institute was incorporated into the Institute of Plant Pro-tection Research as a department. Since that time, the institutewas no longer an independent institution, although the workefforts continued in taxonomy, systematics and bibliography, butthe international connections and the possibilities for suchcontacts decreased radically.

54 GAEDIKE: German Entomological Institute HOLARCTIC LEPIDOPTERA

Fig. 12-14. Early workers whose collections are in the DEI: 12) O. Leonhard (1853-1929). 13) W. Sauter (1871-1948). 14) E. Strand (1867-1947).

In these years, besides the studies on taxonomy, nomenclature,bibliography, as a somewhat compensating effort for the lack offoreign contacts, the institute began to work on the project,Insekten Fauna der Deutschen Demokratische Republic (InsectFauna of the German Democratic Republic). Since this time, theinstitute published 55 parts in the series, and many amateurentomologists were found who became specialists not only for thelocal fauna, but also for some groups for all Europe. Asexamples I can name W. Heinicke, H. Patzak, R. Sutler, andK.-H. Mohr.

In 1990, after the German reunification, the institute was reest-ablished as the independent German Entomological Institute. Inthe future, it shall be linked with the Museum of Natural Historyin Berlin (Zoologisches Museum, Humboldt Universitat).

THE ENTOMOLOGICAL COLLECTIONSThe collections now total about 3 million specimens, with

about 250,000 species from all orders represented. They arestored in 221 cabinets, each containing 50 drawers, for a total of11,050 drawers. For about 25,000 species, there is type material(holo-, para, lecto-, paralecto-, syntypes) in the collections.LEPIDOPTERA

The basis of the Lepidoptera collection (52 cabinets) is thecollection of central European (mainly German) species ofPfiitzner (18241902), which was bought by Kraatz. An importantaddition, especially for the Microlepidoptera, was the collectionof M. Saalmiiller (1832-1890). After these, the collections of O.Leonhard (1853-1929) and E. Pietsch (1872-1930) were incorpo-rated. These collections also contain material from several othercollectors (e.g., Staudinger, Heyne, Fassl, Niepelt, Bottcher).Some expedition material from various regions is also includedin the main collection: Africa (Cameroon) (H. O. K. von Roth-kirch); South America (Schnuse); Southern Africa (Bodong);Ussuri region of Russia (Kardakoff); Taiwan (H. Sauter). In thelast 30 years, the collection has increased through the incorpora-

tion of several Microlepidoptera collections: J. Soffner (1889-1976), K. Ritter (1909- ), and H. Patzak (1928-1988).

Because the material of the collection was revised by numerouswell-known specialists, there are many types: e. g. of E. Meyrick,E. Strand (especially the Taiwan material), Prout, Bastelbiirger.As a result of the studies of G. Petersen (since 1951 up to hisretirement in 1989) on Tineidae, a very good collection of thePalearctic members of this family is represented.

I list here some of the more important collections of otherinsect orders, which are included in the institute collection:COLEOPTERA: G. Kraatz (1831-1909), all families, espe-

cially Staphylinidae, Cetoniidae; W. Horn (1871-1939),Cicindelidae; O. Schwartz (1861-1908), Elateridae; S.Schenkling (1865-1946), Cleridae; L. von Heyden (1838-1915), all families; O. Leonhard (1853-1929), all fami-lies; E. Uhmann (1881-1968), especially Hispinae; L.Dieckmann (1920-1990), Curculionidae.

DIPTERA: B. Lichtwardt (1857-1943); L. Oldenberg (1863-1931).

HYMENOPTERA: F. W. Konow (1842-1908), Symphyta; K.Bleyl (1908-1995), Apoidea.

Other orders: G. Breddin (1864-1909), Homoptera, Heterop-tera; C. Borner (1880-1953), Homoptera: Aphidae; H.von Oettingen (1878-1956), Thysanoptera.

A very important addition for all orders was the material fromthe Taiwan expeditions of H. Sauter and the material from theAlbania Expedition 1961 of the Institute.

THE LIBRARYThe beginning of the library is not the year of the foundation

of the Insitute, but in 1849, when the young G. Kraatz boughtsome volumes from the library of W. F. Erichson (1809-1849):this was the start of very intensive collecting of entomologicalliterature by Kraatz. He bought in Paris, and other cities withantiquarian dealers, not only many precious and very rare items

Vol. 2 No. 2 1995 GAEDIKE: German Entomological Institute 55

METAMORPHOSISI N S E C T O R U M

SURINAMENSIUM.

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M A R I A M S I B Y L L A M M E R I A K.

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\ D^K, .-̂ II JJ™,iBif //iw"'"

Fig. 15-17. One of the rare books in the DEI library, Metamorphosis Insectorum Surmamensium (1705): 15) M. S. Merian (1647-1717), self-portrait of author. 16) Titlepage. 17) One of the Lepidoptera plates from the book.

(e.g., such works as M. S. Merian and Rosel von Rosenhof), butalso complete libraries (e.g., the library of G. A. W. Herrich-Schaffer (1799-1874), together with originals of the works of J.Hiibner (1761-1826), which were a part of that library). After W.Horn became director, the library holdings increased very quicklydue to the intensive international exchange of literature, mainlyjournals. Since that time, more than 90% of all newly obtainedjournals have been obtained by exchange agreements. The basisof current exchanges are our journals Beitrage zur Entomologieand Nova Supplementa Entomologica, a nearly complete set of allpreviously issued journals of our institute, and copies of importantworks like the Index Litteraturae Entomologieae, Serie II,Grundziige einer Theorie der phylogenetischen Systematik, andCollectiones Entomologicae.

The library holdings now contain about 70,000 volumes (about45,000 of which are journals) and about 115,000 reprints. In1994, the library was receiving 804 different journals, 684 ofthem by exchange. Journal holdings contain in total more than1,300 journal titles, most of them from the first volume. Thelibrary holdings include about 25,000 volumes of monographs,more than 4,300 of them issued before 1900. The oldest bookheld is by C. Plinii, Secundi Historiae tnundi libri XXXVII, from1553. Some other rare and very rare titles held are: severalbooks from Maria Sybille Merian (e.g., Der Raupen wunderbareVerwand(e)lung und sonderbare Blumennahrung, 2 parts, ofGraff, 1679, in Niirnberg, und 1683 in Frankfurt a. M.; DerRupsen Begin, Voedzel en wonderbaare Veranderung, 3 parts,issued about 1678; Metamorphosis insectorum Surinamensium(Amstelodami: Valk, 1705), colored and uncolored issue; Over devoortteeling en wonderbaerlyke veranderingen der Surinaemischeinsecten ... (Amsterdam: Osterwyck, 1719), also colored anduncolored); August Johann Rosel von Rosenhof, Insectenbelusti-gung, issued after 1740 (the 1st edition) and the revised edition

Fig. 18-19. Exhibitions: 18) Entrance to the exhibition room. 19) Part of theexhibition with living insects.

56 GAEDIKE: German Entomological Institute HOLARCTIC LEPIDOPTERA

Fig. 20. DEI staff and technicians (left to right, front to back): FRONT Row: 1) Dr. H. Westendorff. 2) F. Menzel. 3) J. Haller. 4) Prof. Dr. H. Dathe. 5) R. Schwebs.6) C. Kutzscher. 7) M. Wieland. 8) H. Wehrens. SECOND Row: 9) H. Framke. 10) R. Schulz. 11) C. Kliche. 12) J. Pohle. 13) B. Wiese. 14) B. Koseling. 15) C. Grunow.16) D. Kroel. 17) Dr. R. Gaedike. 18) B. Storkan. 19) H. Gaedike. 20) M. Schiele. 21) J. Moebert. 22) L. Behne. BACK Row: 23) J. Ziegler. 24) Dr. K. Rohlfien. 25)Dr. E. Groll. 26) Dr. L. Zerche. 27) Dr. A. Taeger. 28) S. Blank. 29) B. Ewald.

by Christian Friedrich Carl Kleemann (1735-1789); C. A. Clerck,Icones Insectorum rariorum (Stockholm, 1759); H. L. Duhameldu Monceau and M. Tillet, Histoire d'un Insecte qui devore lesgrains de I'Angoumois (Paris, 1762); D. Drury, Illustrations ofNatural History" (London, 1770-1782); and several papers fromJacob Hiibner (1761-1826), including Sammlung auserlesenerVogel und Schmetterlinge mil ihren Namen (Augsburg, 1793)(together with the manuscript of this book), and Sammlungeuropaischer Schmetterlinge (1805-1826), with 790 coloredplates.

W. Horn also began a special collection of historical parapher-nalia which illustrates the use of entomological objects, contain-ing pieces of equipment for insect collecting and preservation,plus material concerning insect preparation, etc.

In 1991, an exhibition was opened for the public. The aim ofthis exhibition is to illustrate the enormous diversity in the insectworld. Besides many objects from our collection, a lot of livinginsects are shown.

THE STAFFThe current staff of the DEI includes 10 entomologists, plus 19

technicians and preparators, 1 librarian, and 2 secretaries.Entomologists and specialists include the following, with their

curation group and families of research interest noted:STEPHAN BLANK (Hymenoptera: Apoidea and Symphyta)Prof.Dr.habil. HOLGER H. DATHE (Hymenoptera: Apoidea)Dr. REINHARD GAEDIKE (Lepidoptera: Microlepidoptera)Dr. ECKHARD GROLL (Orthoptera)FRANK MENZEL (Diptera: Sciaridae)Dr. KLAUS ROHLFIEN (Entomohistory and bibliography)Dr. ANDREAS TAEGER (Hymenoptera: Symphyta and Braconidae)Dr. MAGDALENE WESTENDORFF (Insect Microbiology)Dr. LOTHAR ZERCHE (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)JOACHIM ZIEGLER (Diptera: Tachinidae)